Luna Vasquez is a 10th grade visual artist at OCSA and has been attending since her 6th grade year. She loves structure in art and says it gives her an outlet to express herself outside of her responsibilities such as soccer practice and her core classes at school.

“I think it lets me show a part of myself I don’t get to lots of times throughout the day, like a part of me is out there without me having to really say anything,” says Luna.

Often time artists, no matter which form of art they’re creating, don’t want to really say much because of their fear of vulnerability. But while shielding the artist from pulling themselves apart and showing others what’s inside, it prohibits people from really knowing what is in their minds and souls. To be an artist, to show the world your work, you have to share what you’d normally hide away from a normal small talk conversation.

“The flowers don’t really represent much, it’s just what I felt like doing,” Luna explained. She says she doesn’t really have intended meaning behind her paintings, she just wants to do something without structure for once, no forced idea, just her. Watercolor (the media used in this artwork) is not her favorite, but it is one of the ones she wants to get better at. A media that allows her to be loose in her work and still come out with a piece she can be proud of.

“Most of my art–while I don’t try for it–comes out as something I can relate to my family.” The flowers in her art represents her mom and how she flourishes every time she talks; blooms into a flower in a way. Her life revolves around her family and friends, being able to relate her art to that is one of the most noble parts of her life. To know she thinks about them and includes them in her art subconsciously is a blessing she expresses.